The Patina finds a home base and encounters the first of the Foundlings.
The Patina finds a home base and encounters the first of the Foundlings.
Cast:
- Marathon Messenger is played by Penn Van Batavia. She can be found on Twitter at @acquiredchaste and in drag as horror king JOHN on Instagram at @john.is.risen. Penn is an indie TTRPG designer whose most recent work includes SLICE *IT* OUT, a grisly carving RPG about cutting pieces of yourself out to fit in. Check out faer other work at pennharper.itch.io.
- Cassidy Shard is played by Sydney Whittington. She is our wonderful editor. She’s also a contributing editor and occasional guest player for the Orpheus Protocol, a cosmic horror espionage actual play podcast. Find her on Twitter at @sydney_whitt.
- Emma Blackwood is played by Cameron Robertson. Find her on Twitter at @midnightmusic13 and on Instagram at @reading_and_dreaming. Cameron is also a player on Tabletop Squadron, a Star Wars Edge of the Empire actual play podcast.
- Birdie Foundling is played by Kit Adames. Find her on Twitter at @venusvultures. Kit is also a voice actor and writer on Elevator Pitch Podcast, a queer genre-hopping anthology podcast that can be accessed on Spotify and YouTube.
- Our GM and narrator is Nick Robertson. Find him on Twitter at @alias58. Nick is also the GM for Tabletop Squadron and can also be found as a player on the Orpheus Protocol.
Music & Sound Credits:
- This podcast features the musical talents of Dora Violet and Arne Parrott. You can find Dora at facebook.com/doraviolett. You can find Arne at atptunes.com.
- old radio Channel search sound effect by Garuda1982. Link & License.
- Breezy city amb.wav by patchen. Link & License.
- Parking Garage - Metal Door - Slam by soundadvices. Link & License.
- Cardiff Indoor Market by odilonmarcenaro. Link & License.
- After All (ID 943) by Lobo Loco. Link & License.
- Indian Summer (ID 206) by Lobo Loco. Link & License.
Art Credits:
- The official artwork for this podcast was created by Rashed AlAkroka, who can be found on Instagram and Artstation @rashedjrs.
Find Us Online:
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A Knight of Shreds and Patches Transcript
Season 3 Episode 1: The People of the Eaves
Transcript by Cameron Robertson
Intro:
[hurdy gurdy music begins]
Nick: Welcome, listeners, to A Knight of Shreds and Patches. An immersive actual play podcast. This episode features the talents of –
Penn: Penn Van Batavia as Marathon Messenger.
Kit: Kit Adames as Birdie Foundling.
Cameron: Cameron Robertson as Emma Blackwood.
Sydney: Sydney Whittington as Cassidy Shard.
Nick: Nick Robertson as GM and Narrator.
Sydney: Hello listeners, this is your editor, Sydney, with today’s messages:
Thanks for tuning in to another episode of AKoSaP on Thursday, Thursday, Thursday! You paid for your whole seat but you’ll only need the edge! Well, besides that listening is free, and if you’re not here right when this airs, it might not be Thursday, but the sentiment is there. And hey, you can take the whole seat, if you want. You deserve it. And if you want an extra spot to sit around our campfire, consider backing our Patreon, which gives you access to bonus episodes, campfire conversations, and other fun rewards.
And with that, we wrap up today’s announcements and head into Season 3, Episode 2: The People of the Eaves. And so…
“Join us, for now our tale to yours attaches
To carry hope: a Knight of Shreds and Patches.”
[hurdy gurdy music ends]
[electronic beeping]
[robotic powerup noise begins]
Distorted Robotic Voice: Power restored. Systems online. Reconfiguring audio connection.
[robotic powerup noise fades to radio frequency static]
[over radio]
Kit (as Birdie): Last time on a Knight of Shreds and Patches, we made it into Sasnak proper. Woo! Honestly, making it past the Ramp Girls is a feat in and of itself considering how much uh suspicious cargo we have. They let us go though and saw a couple of familiar faces. So great start. Actually, it is a great start because Emma got us a pretty great deal on storing the rig and all of our stuff, which is hard to do and you know, it's so great that I'm on such an efficient team. And now we're on Sasnak and it's so great that we're here and I'm so happy. So exciting.
[radio static]
Episode Start:
Nick: The city of Sasnak Traveling is organized differently from most places that you all have been in your travels. The nicest areas are closest to the disk of the city. Above the Guts where the mechanical bones of Sasnak keep everything moving, the glistening Dome neighborhoods house the rich and powerful. From there, as you travel upward, the buildings get more precarious and the people get poorer. Birdie is leading the Patina upward and it's not a short trek. What is one thing that each of you note as you continue to climb?
Kit: Birdie can't see much of Sasnak given that her eyes have been pretty much glued to the path that her feet are walking in a way that is so instinctive to her, but now feels kind of foreign and its effect on her is one that she was not all the way prepared for. There's not much of interest to her that she hasn't already seen before, despite how many people come to and leave Sasnak and have done so in the time that she's been gone, not much has actually changed. If there is something that catches her eye, it's a new billboard with a new ad for something new to buy, or the fact that the skyline has changed due to likely a recent Turning or a weather event. She sees that one Stack is completely gone from sight in the skyline that she's so used to looking at and a few have gotten a bit shorter. She can't help but wonder if maybe that's happened to people that she knew in the time that she's been gone.
Sydney: Cassidy is a little bit more familiar with Sasnak than the others who have not necessarily seen much of or any of the city says she had worked as a mercenary out of Sasnak for eight ish months before leaving behind Gwendolyn in her position of honor. But as they continue their ascent, the sight of the Dome known as the Eighth Sea never fails to catch her eye. The giant crystalline half sphere extending up from the surface of the disk of Sasnak. The part closest to the surface is full of water. She can't imagine how good the technology of the Domes would have to be to be able to hold that in. But people walking past on the outside can see fish swimming at eye level with them along the edges of it. And there are entry ways beneath it to go up into the middle of it where there are boats to be taken out recreationally and various other water activities providing a one leg of a well balanced diet to at least the more affluent residents of the mobile city.
Penn: As the Patina ascends following Birdie on their way to this home base that Birdie had mentioned, the charm of the lower levels of the city starts to fall away and Marathon can't help but look up in wonder as they walk at the intricate yet shoddily made rope bridges, roads made of pipes, and other hastily constructed travel ways that have been built up in the higher levels of Sasnak to connect the people who live on the highest levels who don't have the same access and resources as the people who live near the Domes down below. These intricate roadways just seem to spiral in whichever direction seemed convenient at the time of building - there doesn't seem to be very much structure to it. But in a way, the web of crudely built roads has its own beauty that Marathon can't help but be enraptured in as they walk.
Cameron: Aside from Emma being continually distracted by electronic panels sunk into walls and mechanical things moving as they make their trek through the city, I think the thing that is the most different for her from the other large cities she's been in is the sheer amount of advertisements that are everywhere. Almost every wall, especially as we get higher in the city, has posters and there's billboards up everywhere, some of which light up and have 3d elements and they're for upcoming jousts at the Coliseum or Xbikes tournaments. One of the 3d billboards probably has an Xbike coming out of it at you. A ton of very colorful and eye-catching advertisements for different shops within Merchants Alley and whatever particular new fancy in style item that they have up for sale currently. She probably does see one for the nail polish place that they got the name of from the Ramp Girl who helped them park, but the amount of consumerism is catching her a bit off guard.
Nick: As you continue your hike, you take elevators and stairs and ramps and ladders as you continue further into the sky. And the landscape around you goes from streets and solid buildings to piles of shipping containers and rope gantries and scaffolding and you find yourself further off of the ground than you have been in quite a while - maybe excepting Cassidy. The ground itself vibrates with the movement of the city. There is periodic smoke from exhaust and strong winds make you nervous about the abrupt edges of the walkways as you find the destination that Birdie has been leading you to - the place where Birdie used to live and where she thinks you might be able to bunk down for the duration of your stay here. Birdie, what does it look like? What does this abode resemble?
Kit: There's nothing particularly special about the old home of the Foundling family given that every other stack of residencies and businesses that stay up in the Towers are also made of shipping containers or old vehicles that are big enough to be able to fit into the structure that's been built for the Stacks. It's a rundown shipping container that's a rather narrow box of metal, roughly 40 feet long and it's a dark green in color. The words have been scratched off over time and have been replaced with spray paint pictures and other words - a couple of profanities - that were probably made by the Foundling family members in their youth. The doorway is made of another thick metal slab and there's a light on inside.
Penn (as Marathon): This it, Birdie?
Kit (as Birdie): Ah. Yep, that's it.
Penn (as Marathon): We're here.
Sydney (as Cassidy): That was quite a climb.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah we um, yeah you get to have pretty good legs livin' here. [uncomfortable laugh]
Sydney: Cassidy looks around at the altitude that they've gained and feeling the breeze from the elevation clearing a lot of the rest of Saanak.
Sydney (as Cassidy): I mean, it's kind of fun being up this high. I could see it being inconvenient and unsafe.
Cameron (as Emma): It's windy.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, it's um, you know, if you wanted to go and get anything during the colder months, gets to be a bit nippy.
Cameron (as Emma): Well and I imagine the stairs get icy.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, we they're pretty good about handing out de icing stuff. And you know, we have to buy it every year. It's kind of like a subscription thing, where -
Cameron (as Emma): Mmm.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah.
Kit (as Birdie): - you'll pay for your subscription of de icing agent then -
Cameron (as Emma): Then you fall down the stairs?
Kit (as Birdie): Uh yeah.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah, sounds like Sasnak.
Cameron (as Emma): Okay.
Kit (as Birdie): Pretty much.
Kit: Birdie will stare at the door for a few seconds before taking a breath and shaking her head to refocus herself and reaches back in her bag to open it and takes out a little pouch that contains a key on a leather string. She hesitates before pushing it into the lock.
Kit (as Birdie): You know you'd think that they'd change the locks after a couple of years.
Cameron (as Emma): I mean, hopefully your family still lives here. [laughing]
Penn (as Marathon): I mean,
Sydney (as Cassidy): I mean, otherwise, we're walking in on someone.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, I mean, you know, it's it's not the worst thing that would have happened to someone up here.
Kit: And she'll sigh and then open the door. There is a rather tall individual standing in what seems to be a small kitchen area leaned up against one of the counters. They have grayish light, maybe blonde hair that's cut in all sorts of lengths with the longest piece being down on the right side of the their face. They are covered in geometric tattoos that are a faded purple color against their very pale skin. At first, their eyes are faced to the floor, but when they look up, they have a tattooed sclera, so their eyes look almost completely pitch black against their face, and their right leg from about the hip down is uncovered as opposed to their left leg which has pants on. The right leg is a prosthetic made almost completely black wire forms that make a leg shape, almost like a piece of art or a statue of a person. They're eating from a bowl that seemingly has soup in it.
Birdie visibly relaxes and haphazardly throws her bag into the house and will walk in to give this person a very, very big hug as she seemingly recognizes them. After a few seconds she'll pull away as the very tall person has leaned down to also embrace her very tightly and has a bit of soup running down their wrist as it's kind of been forgotten in their hand. Birdie pulls back and wIll look to the Patina and say,
Kit (as Birdie): Ah, you guys, you guys can come in. Sorry. This is Vaus - one of the Foundlings.
Cameron (as Emma): Nice to meet you, Vaus.
Cameron: Emma walks in, being very friend shaped.
Kit: Vaus sets down the bowl and takes a kitchen rag and will mop up the soup running down their wrist and will hold out their hand silently but will nod and make eye contact with Emma - a form of acknowledgement, of respect.
Cameron: Emma nods back having understood this is not a talker and gives them a handshake.
Sydney: Cassidy strolls in and goes
Sydney (as Cassidy): Hello!
Sydney: With a wave from across the room and proceeds to take in the surroundings.
Penn: Marathon still has this big backpack that is a foot or two taller than her head. As she holds the straps, nervously steps in not hiding behind Cassidy, but hiding beside Cassidy - also gives a little wave trying to be cautious.
Kit: Vaus will raise their hand in a wave gesture and will give a faint smile to everyone and look to Birdie again. Birdie is nervously looking around and has a very restless vibe around herself.
Kit (as Birdie): Vaus doesn't really talk very much, but I think that everyone else is not here permanently anymore. I guess, given that -
Kit: And she'll nod to the rest of the interior of the container and it does appear that several people used to live here, but things have been rearranged so that the living arrangements fit that of one person instead with most things cleared away or in large trunks lining the walls.
Kit (as Birdie): If you guys want we can talk to them about maybe working out here. I don't know how much people come by.
Kit: Vaus will tilt their head from side to side and make several gestures with their hands that don't read as any sort of regional sign language that anyone would know, but almost like a language that Birdie seems to immediately understand as if she helped make it.
Kit (as Birdie): They said that we can we can use it - that they kind of use it this as an office space mostly. Yep, we're we're trying to find Winifred. And we're -
Kit: Vaus has ceased listening to Birdie between phrases and is going towards the door with another few gestures and Birdie goes to stop them and then the door shuts and it's just the Patina a left in the container.
Sydney (as Cassidy): That was decisive.
Kit (as Birdie): They're gonna go get Nona.
Cameron (as Emma): Who's Nona?
Kit (as Birdie): Ah, our upstairs neighbor. Oh, okay.
Cameron (as Emma): Is this a bad thing?
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah is that good, is that -
Kit (as Birdie): No, this is a good thing. It's just that Nona is a a wonderful woman and I miss her very, very much. It's just, you know, she's, uh~
Penn (as Marathon): Do you have a troubled past with her at all?
Kit (as Birdie): No, no, she's just -
Sydney (as Cassidy): Is she going to come in and make a big scene about you being back and should we start getting comfortable now?
Kit (as Birdie): Maybe and yes.
Penn (as Marathon): Okay.
Sydney: Cassidy puts her bag down.
Kit (as Birdie): She'll bring cookies.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Vaus did seem to take you coming back in stride.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, I actually talked to them when I made that communication a while ago on Eagle Hill. I don't know if they've talked to anyone since then. And so at least -
Sydney (as Cassidy): Like word talk or -
Kit (as Birdie): No, just spoken to any of the other members of the foundling since then, so
Sydney (as Cassidy): Oh okay.
Kit (as Birdie): I don't know how the others are gonna react because I don't know if they've talked about it.
Sydney: Cassidy is nodding her head in understanding of a complex family situation.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, I yeah, there are um so
Kit: Birdie will point to the temporary walled off areas in the back area of the container.
Kit (as Birdie): So the far back left room has - its two twin beds, or it should be at least, and then there are two rooms with their own beds in them. So um, however you guys want to do that. I think there's also a separate there's a fifth one in the far back right, so
Penn (as Marathon): Well, thanks for setting this up Birdie. I just, we're here for you, you know?
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah.
Penn (as Marathon): Yeah. If you need anything, but I know you're going through it, so
Kit (as Birdie): No it's - yeah, it's okay. I'll um, yeah, it's okay. It's good to - it it's good to see that not much has changed in here, at least.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Although I guess it's more empty than when you left?
Kit (as Birdie): Yep. Yeah. A lot more um quiet. [uncomfortable that things changed laugh]
Sydney: Cassidy nods sympathetically and goes off to find a bed.
Penn (as Marathon): Birdie, uh do you have a room here?
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, yeah, it's the middle one between - on the left.
Penn: As Marathon leans to peek into Birdie's old room, what does she see still up?
Kit: It's a pretty small room. It doesn't have a ton of stuff still in it really, since she does travel so heavily using her backpack and her person being the place where she kept a lot of her valuables. But it's the room of a teenage girl. It has posters, and there's a wall of a lot of trinkets and things that she seems to have built that are not very well made. There's three hockey sticks mounted to the wall, each of them have been broken. There's a bike leaning up against the wall, a trunk, presumably just of clothing and of miscellaneous objects. There's a little mask on top of it that resembles the jaw of some sort of animal with large teeth. There is also a suspiciously mundane poster up on the wall that just says 'Ramp Girl Recruitment', but it's not signed, it is mounted there seemingly not going to leave.
Kit (as Birdie): I it it's it's probably not anything interesting.
Penn (as Marathon): It is adorable, if anything.
Kit (as Birdie): I yeah~, you know -
Penn (as Marathon): I mean, I know you're going through a lot, but at any point, I would appreciate a little a little tour of your old room some time, but that doesn't have to be any time now, because you're going through a lot, Birdie.
Kit (as Birdie): It's fine. I'm okay. It's easier that Vaus is the only one here. So I'm -
Cameron (as Emma): Just because you'd rather only face people one at a time or just because they seem really quiet and chill?
Kit (as Birdie): Vaus has known me for the least amount of time.
Cameron (as Emma): Okay.
Kit (as Birdie): I met Vaus only a year or two before the accident happened. It's kind of like a soft opening, you know? Like,
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah.
Kit (as Birdie): - like, you know, it also helps that they don't really talk much.
Penn (as Marathon): And they do seem sick - like cool.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, they're really cool person. [laughs in fond of family]
Sydney: Cassidy walks back out having claimed what looked like the biggest room which is not saying much.
Sydney (as Cassidy): I'm exercising injured teammate privilege and I'm taking the biggest room.
Kit (as Birdie): [giggle]
Sydney (as Cassidy): It had some I don't know computer looking stuff in it.
Kit (as Birdie): That's Winifred's. Yeah.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah. A couple of empty gun mounts, I guess?
Kit (as Birdie): Yep.
Sydney (as Cassidy): I suppose citizens can have guns here?
Kit (as Birdie): Oh, yeah. And a lot people do.
Penn (as Marathon): Ah, but you have to pay to be a citizen. So
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, so
Sydney (as Cassidy): Well, something to be aware of, I suppose, as we continue to work here.
Kit (as Birdie): Most of the population is armed here. [laugh]
Penn (as Marathon): Miss Cassidy, you can have all my extra pillows, so... playing injured, injured teammate. I guess I'll figure out a room here too. I see a bunk bed.
Kit (as Birdie): Oh yeah, that's um, sorry. Bunk beds - they haven't stayed there in a while. Honestly, Juno and Janus used to share that room.
Penn (as Marathon): I mean, it smells fishy just dipin' my head in so
Kit (as Birdie): [laugh] Yeah, yeah, I always felt bad for Janus having to share a room with an octopus and also Juno. They moved out of there, though.
Sydney: Cassidy sits at the other chair at the table, staying out of the way and awaiting the arrival of this other person.
Penn (as Marathon): Well, Emma, you want to split the bunk beds then?
Cameron (as Emma): Sure. But I would like the top bunk.
Penn: Marathon lets out an almost inaudible sigh.
Penn (as Marathon): Yeah, sounds good. Perfect. I've got a bunch of our stuff here, so feel free - I can just start passing it out while we're unpacking. But Birdie thank you for I mean, obviously, it's also Vaus's home, but thank you for the the setting this up.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah um. Yeah, it's, it'll be fun. It'll be a nice little throwback. [nervous laugh]
Penn (as Marathon): It's gonna be okay.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Well tell us if you ever need us to jump in and cause a scene.
Penn (as Marathon): It's what we're good at.
Kit (as Birdie): Thanks.
Cameron (as Emma): Cause a scene or just distract.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah.
Cameron (as Emma): You know, in a normal conversation setting.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, keep it in mind. It's, it'll be okay. Thank you. Thank you guys.
Kit: In that moment, the doorknob rattles and the door is thrown open to reveal a very, very short, seemingly ancient woman carrying a large box of cookies. She's followed up by Vaus which makes for a very interesting picture as this roughly four foot eight woman barrels in through the door to the kitchen, slams her box of cookies down, and whips around to face Birdie. Birdie lets out a little yelp.
Kit (as Birdie): Nona! Haha! Nona it's so - it is it is so good to see you. I missed you!
Kit: The woman who seems to be Nona sticks a very bony obviously slightly arthritic finger up into Birdie's face.
Kit (as Nona): Do you know how much I worried about you? Every single day for seven years? Birdie seven years. Really? It's really quite rude of you.
Kit: And will then grab Birdie. And it almost looks like at first she's trying to strangle Birdie and then it's just a hug, but Birdie is obviously close to getting a couple of ribs dislodged. Her arms are angled very weirdly patting her back.
Kit (as Birdie): [very squished] Thank you, Nona. I'm I I was trying. Not - not my fault. Not my fault.
Kit: Before Nona releases her and is like
Kit (as Nona): It's okay. I forgive you. [sniff] I forgive you for it. So it's okay sweetheart. Making me cry.
Kit: She'll dab at her eyes with the kitchen rag that was used to clean the soup off of Vaus's arm earlier and then she'll turn around to see the Patina members. She will gesture to the Patina.
Kit (as Nona): I'm Nona. I'm their upstairs neighbor. I've known Birdie since she was like this.
Kit: And will hold her hand out to be roughly the same height as herself.
Penn (as Marathon): Marathon, ma'am. We've been taking care of Birdie on the road.
Kit (as Nona): Okay, Marathon.
Penn: Marathon is standing at attention right now. Very nervous meeting Birdie's family.
Kit: Nona will hold out her hand, not in the way that someone will normally hold out their hand for a handshake but offering the back of her hand to Marathon just
Kit (as Nona): Enchantée Marathon. It's very nice to meet you.
Penn: Marathon grabs her hand and very respectfully plants a little kiss on the back of her hand.
Kit (as Nona): Oh, such a charmer. Birdie I like your new friends.
Penn (as Marathon): Of course ma'am.
Sydney: Cassidy is looking over at Emma with eyebrows raised of 'this is a new side' and then looks back to -
Cameron: Emma is trying so hard not to laugh. [laughing]
Sydney (as Cassidy): We've only been taking care of Birdie for the last year or so, but hi. I'm Cassidy.
Kit (as Nona): A year's what makes you guy's family already so, it's nice to meet you Miss Cassidy.
Kit: And she'll sort of sense from Cassidy's body language that she's a solid handshake woman and so she will reach out her hand to take Cassidy's and if Cassidy does take hers, her grip is not aggressive in a way that someone trying to intimidate another person's would be but it's just like she has the strongest hands and she doesn't quite realize how tightly she is gripping Cassidy's hand.
Sydney: Cassidy had stood up to shake her hand and comes away impressed at that unexpected strength in this old woman's tiny frame.
Cameron (as Emma): It's lovely to meet you, Ms Nona. I'm Emma.
Kit (as Nona): Oh well hello Emma!
Kit: And for Emma she will go for a hug. It's very tight, but her hands in her arms are very warm and she obviously is a very exuberant and passionate older woman.
Cameron: Emma leans down to give her a hug as she has a full foot taller than Nona.
Kit (as Nona): Well [sniff]. I'm so glad that you have had a new little bunch to get along with Birdie. And a such an attractive young group of women - reminds me of the group I used to travel with when I was younger before I retired.
Kit: She will very wistfully clasp her hands together just
Kit (as Nona): I assume you guys are all adventurers.
Cameron (as Emma): Adventurers and mercenaries, ma'am.
Penn (as Marathon): Some of the best, ma'am.
Kit (as Nona): Some of the best, I'm sure. You know, Birdie would never be caught with anyone who wasn't the best. Of course, of course. You know, I used to be a part of a mercenary group too.
Penn (as Marathon): I'm sure it was also the best, ma'am.
Kit (as Nona): Well we were. So [laugh]
Kit: And she will give a very loud and sort of harsh laugh that comes out sort of like a bark and she'll slap her leg.
Kit (as Nona): Oh, well, we all retired to Sasnak some 40 years ago, but it's so good to see that there are still groups of young strong women in our stead. Well [sniff]. I brought down cookies, but I'll leave you all to it. I missed you Birdie. It's so nice to meet you all.
Kit: And she'll excuse herself and give Vaus a nice pat on the back.
Kit (as Birdie): Ah, I thought it was gonna be so much worse.
Cameron (as Emma): She's lovely.
Kit (as Birdie): [deep breathing] Okay.
Cameron (as Emma): I like her. What were you expecting?
Kit (as Birdie): I don't know. For her to bring her rifle down and shove it up my nose. I don't know she does it sometimes.
Cameron (as Emma): She seems to love you. Why would she threaten you with a gun?
Kit (as Birdie): She does that to the people she loves.
Cameron (as Emma): Oh!
Penn (as Marathon): [overlapping] Ooh so this was a bad sign.
Sydney (as Cassidy): [overlapping] And maybe the people she really doesn't?
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, it's a sign of strong emotions from her.
Cameron (as Emma): Okay, well, you did make her tear up.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, she's she's an easy cry. You should hear with her old soaps that she she runs on her TV all the time.
Penn (as Marathon): Woah, she's got a TV?
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, I know. That mercenary group she was with scored something really big a long time ago and it's still keeping her going to this day on Sasnak. So
Cameron (as Emma): Nice.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Impressive.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, she's a good neighbor. Brought -
Kit: And she'll tilt her head to see inside the box.
Kit (as Birdie): - uh~ snickerdoodles.
Cameron (as Emma): Ooh!
Cameron: Emma walks over and reaches around Birdie to take a cookie.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Cassidy grabs one and then moves her chair back a little bit.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Sorry, I'm not in your way am I?
Sydney: Gesturing at Vaus.
Kit: Vaus will give a slight shake of their head and will give Cassidy a thumbs up as a sign of no worries.
Cameron (as Emma): Do you want a cookie Vaus? Also, I realized that we said hi to you but we never actually introduced you and gave you our names. So you probably just heard it with Nona, but I'm Emma, that's Marathon and that's Cassidy,
Sydney (as Cassidy): Cassidy gives another wave.
Kit: They'll nod at Emma and then will nod at Marathon and Cassidy when Emma gestures to them and their names are mentioned.
Cameron: Emma holds out a cookie.
Kit: And will give another nod and they'll take the cookie and will hold it up in a cheers with Emma. And will sort of adjust how they're standing up against the wall at this point, given that they don't have much give in their prosthetic leg because it's mostly metal. Birdie will also take her own cookie and offer one to Marathon.
Penn (as Marathon): Yeah, thank you. I uh, hate to be the expedient one here, I guess, but we're kind of settling in - do we have a plan for tonight for - do we have - What what is step two and slash when are we implementing step two of our Sasnak visit?
Kit (as Birdie): Well, we kind of already found a good place for us to stay and it's not too late. We could maybe try and find Winifred.
Penn (as Marathon): Winifred's your techie sister right?
Kit (as Birdie): Mhm.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Depends on, I mean if it's gonna be a quest, we can take a night in the city and go you know, get dinner and get some supplies or whatever and go after Winifred tomorrow. Less anxious to immediately get running again knowing that we have somewhere that's not subject to Sasnak rent negotiations.
Kit (as Birdie): [soft laugh] Yeah, that's fair.
Sydney (as Cassidy): With our lovely host here.
Penn (as Marathon): Thanks again Vaus, by the way.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah, as we invade your space.
Kit: Vaus will smile and shake their head and will say the first words that they've said all evening.
Kit (as Vaus): Friend of Birdie's is a friend of mine.
Kit: And Birdie will smile and step closer to Vaus to nudge her shoulder against theirs.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, we can - I can show you guys Merchants Alley if you want. You can get some cronuts.
Cameron (as Emma): Can we get some nail polish?
Kit (as Birdie): I'm sure they have nail polish down there.
Cameron (as Emma): Well, that's probably where this place is, right?
Cameron: And Emma waves the piece of paper that has the shop name on it.
Kit (as Birdie): Oh, yeah. Mhm. Yeah, the - I forgot about that place. Yeah, yeah, we can stop there. We can get some cronuts. We can not get fish, please?
Cameron (as Emma): Okay.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Fish here is expensive anyway.
Kit (as Birdie): There's books.
Cameron (as Emma): I like books.
Kit (as Birdie): Mhm.
Cameron (as Emma): I mean, we know we're running low on romance novels. [/s]
Kit (as Birdie): [overlapping] Absolutely.
Cameron (as Emma): [overlapping] We could top off our collection. [laugh]
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah, with your magic thing-a-do that has 10,000 books on it.
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah. You can never have enough books, Cassidy.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Well, I might ponder finding a good tattoo artist.
Kit (as Birdie): Oh, there are tons of them.
Cameron (as Emma): Oh~.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah, there's at least a couple around.
Sydney: As she gestures complimentary towards Vaus's large decoration.
Kit: Vaus will pull up the hem of their shirt at their waist to show that it does go literally all the way down their torso, and will give a very solid thumbs up to say there are very good tattoo artist here.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Cassidy nods in agreeance with her previous statement.
Penn (as Marathon): That's rad. Um but Cassidy, if you needed a big you know, if you needed a meal before you get tattooed, you know, so you see your blood sugar's not low or anything. I mean, I'd be happy to, you know, find a quiet place and we can hang out, get some drinks. I mean, of course, everybody's invited. Um, but -
Cameron (as Emma): I thought you were gonna offer to hold her hand while she got tattooed.
Penn (as Marathon): I mean, I can. I can also do that. Uh cause -
Sydney (as Cassidy): Well let's - let's go see what's out there and then we can make decisions.
Penn (as Marathon): You have, you do have that gunshot wound, so it might be a little extra painful. So
Penn: So Vaus will listen to Marathon and Cassidy's conversation and sort of watch them like they're watching a tennis match. And then look at Birdie and raise an eyebrow. Birdie puts up one of her hands and she's like,
Kit (as Birdie): [under breath but full of drama] I know.
Cameron (as Emma): [giggle][quietly] Our duo has become a trio.
Penn (as Marathon): Merchants Alley - so does that mean Step Two: Find Winifred is tomorrow?
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, um, Vaus, you know where Winifred is right?
Kit: Vaus will consider the question and then will make several gestures to Birdie and then look to the members of the Patina and lay out a flat hand and then tilt the flat head as if to say so-so and Birdie will smile at the Patina members.
Kit (as Birdie): It'll be a fun time trying to find her. Yes. Tomorrow. Tomorrow. Mhm.
Cameron (as Emma): Cool.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah. Sounds like a tomorrow.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah. Cronuts!
Kit: And she will open the door trying to leave.
Penn (as Marathon): Cronuts it is, I guess.
Kit (as Birdie): Cronuts for dinner! Winifred never let me do that when I was younger.
Penn (as Marathon): I don't think I can have Cronuts for dinner.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah, I was like that's -
Cameron (as Emma): That's not quite the atmosphere you were thinking?
Sydney (as Cassidy): - probably responsible to not let the small children only eat sweets.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, we were also broke though.
Penn (as Marathon): Honestly. I'm liking this Winifred, the more I hear.
Kit (as Birdie): [laugh] Well, so did everybody else on Sasnak. Not in like, I mean, she's like, just really, really charismatic and cool.
Penn (as Marathon): Wait, do you get it from Winifred?
Kit (as Birdie): What? Get what from Winifred?
Penn (as Marathon): You're you're - how do I say this in front of Vaus?
Cameron (as Emma): Your game?
Penn (as Marathon): Your game. Thank you, Emma.
Cameron (as Emma): Mhm.
Kit: Vaus will make a face like they're trying very hard not to laugh and then will shake their head and actually start laughing underneath their breath in a mean snicker and Birdie indignantly will say
Kit (as Birdie): I have my own game and for your information, Winifred is much, much more suave than I will ever be. So there's that. Um. Vaus shut up.
Cameron (as Emma): I mean, Vaus if you want to have storytime later, we can totally do that.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah, we can definitely tell you all about Birdie.
Cameron (as Emma): We have a lot.
Kit (as Birdie): Not allowed. Not allowed.
Cameron (as Emma): Hey, you can't control what we discuss with our new friend Vaus.
Kit (as Birdie): Oh my - [so many regrets]
Penn (as Marathon): True. We're friends now.
Cameron (as Emma): I feel it's very important that your family knows what you've been up to.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Any friend of Birdie is a friend of us. And that means we're friends with Vaus now.
Kit (as Birdie): I regret coming here.
Penn (as Marathon): Wow. So much less intimidating now that we're friends. [laugh]
Kit: Vaus will nod at Cassidy and Emma and tap their wrist in a watch motion and mouth later, later.
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah~. All right. Vaus, do you want to join us for cronuts or would you like to go back to your undisturbed quiet? [laugh]
Kit: Vaus will gesture to a small desk that's near the couch in the living room area, and will half frown because the desk is filled with paperwork that they have yet to do.
Cameron (as Emma): Ugh. Well, we'll bring you back a cronut.
Kit: They'll nod and will pick up their soup bowl and another cookie and then will go back to their desk.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, okay, so we'll see you later Vaus - you horrible gossip. I missed you. Okay. Okay. Now before anyone says anything else about my love life let's go.
Cameron (as Emma): Oh, yeah, we've already established we're talking later. We don't need to say anything right now.
Kit (as Birdie): Uh huh. Uh huh. Yeah, I'm sure. Okay.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Birdie for how much you've talked about me, I deserve this.
Cameron (as Emma): Can dish it but you can't take it. [laugh]
Kit (as Birdie): [laugh]
Penn (as Marathon): Yeah hey!
Kit (as Birdie): Okay, I get it. It's different rules. They're my family. You know, like, we're, it's fine. It's fine. I get it. They have already seen me at my worst, so it's fine.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Cassidy starts leading the way waiting for Birdie to take over leading the way so that they can get moving.
Nick: As you all head to Merchants Alley, it quickly becomes apparent that you are retracing your steps back down the ladders and stairs and lifts back to almost exactly where you started. The way is a lot easier having put down your gear and knowing that you will have somewhere to spend the night, but as you get back to where you begin, you realize that the winding path of merchants is much larger than you had originally thought at your first glimpse having exited the Guts of the city. The road is lined with stalls on the sidewalks and more permanent buildings behind those and as Birdie excitedly leads you towards cronuts and books, you see that a large portion of the city on this level is occupied with this mercantile center. It is a winding path. It isn't on the base platform of Sasnak, but it is far enough down that you can see parts of the Domes that you saw from a distance rising behind some of the shops and the path meanders between them. The sound is filled with the calls of merchants and large crowds, haggling and negotiating. Everything that you can imagine wanting to buy is close at hand in various levels of quality and prices.
As you shoulder your way through the crowd, many of you careful to keep hands on your money as Birdie warned you about pickpockets, the way is blocked by a group of people who aren't moving and you've realize that there is an audience of people who have come to a stop in a open space on this pathway looking at a erected bandstand, where there's a podium and you see a public address that is underway. You see a very tall woman at least 6'5" if not taller, wearing a formal uniform with bits of armor on the shoulders and chest and a string of metals. She has short cropped white blond hair, a sharp chin and high forehead and a face that looks accustomed to scowling. You also see that on the edges of the crowd, there are other people in uniform standing at strict attention. They're in small groups of four or five and you see multiple uniforms and different colors amongst them. They are looking equally suspicious at each other between the groups and at the civilian audience as the person at the podium begins to speak.
Kit: Birdie will let out a half sigh half scoff, and will mumble to the Patina,
Kit (as Birdie): Oh great, the tin cans are here.
Sydney: Cassidy looking around, catches the guards and then catches the person up on stage and goes
Sydney (as Cassidy): Oh shit. I think that's Gwendolyn.
Kit (as Birdie): [oops I just called their friend a tin can] Really?
Penn (as Gwendolyn): And the economy is stronger than it has ever been in years as we've traveled further east, and we've continued to maintain that trajectory, even with the most recent Turning. And while yes, some of our citizens may have felt some physical harm or property damage, for the most part, this has been the least damage, the least upheaval that we have ever seen in one of the Turnings and so the Council of the Round stands united now that we have dealt with the Turning, we have the strong economy and we are protecting every citizen of Sasank. Each and every one of you are valued constituents of our council. There is no danger. I repeat none to anyone in the city and no risk of violence in the streets. Thanks to both the proud and hard work of our city police and the council's private security forces we are more unified than ever. The city will also be having a major holiday soon to celebrate the hard work of the common citizen. There will be a week of festivities including an X bike tournament. Can I hear some cheers?
Penn: There is a mild cheer from the crowd.
Penn (as Gwendolyn): And charitable donations to the people of the Eaves, those poor desperate souls. We are willing to help our fellow citizens of Sasnak, all they must do is pay their citizenship.
Penn: And Gwendolyn continues to drone on as the Patina is in the back of this crowd.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yep, that's definitely Gwendolyn.
Kit (as Birdie): Oh... Well~
Cameron (as Emma): So there's definitely danger, right? That's what that means?
Kit (as Birdie): Oh, yeah. They always lie. Yeah.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Honestly, she could just be bad at delivering news. If this is just I don't have the background on the city right now, but like, if it's just everything is fine, and she's coming out here to tell us that everything is fine.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, everything's fine because they get little orphans to do their work.
Sydney: Cassidy shrugs.
Kit (as Birdie): Sorry. Bitter.
Penn (as Marathon): I'm not sure if this is really selling', looking at the people in the crowd here.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, they never - they okay. So going to Merchants Alley is the wrong demographic to be giving this speech to. People in the Domes would find this absolutely - I don't know. They'd eat it up. They always do.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah, there's a reason Wyatt and the Patina didn't take more of a position here. We left while Gwendolyn took this so you know, different paths.
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, some better than others.
Sydney (as Cassidy): But she can do her thing. I'll try and I don't know file a form of request for audience or something later. Let's go find food.
Penn (as Marathon): Seems kinda like an ass hat
Sydney (as Cassidy): Well -
Cameron (as Emma): It's very nice that, you know, they're willing to take care of all of the poor people as long as they can pay to receive that assistance.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, funny how that works.
Cameron (as Emma): Hmm.
Kit (as Birdie): Anyways, food and books and fun and tattoos.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Food and books.
Cameron (as Emma): Cronuts let's go.
Nick: As the Patina shoves their way around the edge of the crowd and towards food and books, they each can feel the tension of the assembled populace as Gwendolyn descends off the back of the bandstand and into a covered walkway and the tension of the crowd is met by the tension of the private security rigging them. And as the Patina moves on, we see Gwendolyn making her way with her personal assistant towards an elevator leading down to the nearest Dome.
Penn (as Gwendolyn): I hate making these fucking speeches. Give me something to swing at.
[hurdy gurdy music swells]
Outro:
Penn (as Marathon): Welcome back folks, you’re tuned to Going the Distance: Traveler’s Guide on road dial 1558. That’s a wrap on today’s log and we’re set to loop after these considerations. Further detail for the following is cataloged in the show notes.
This has been A Knight of Shreds and Patches, an actual play podcast using the Genesys game system from Fantasy Flight Games. The show is edited by Sydney Whittington, and features the talents of:
Kit Adames as Birdie. Kit can be found on Twitter and Instagram @ venusvultures. Kit is also a voice actor for Elevator Pitch Podcast, a queer genre-hopping anthology podcast that can be accessed on Spotify and YouTube.
Penn Van Batavia as Marathon. She can be found on Twitter @ acquiredchaste and in drag as horror king JOHN on Instagram @ john.is.risen. Penn is an indie TTRPG designer whose most recent work includes SLICE IT OUT, a grisly carving RPG about cutting pieces of yourself out to fit in. Check out faer other work at pennharper.itch.io.
Sydney Whittington as Cassidy. Sydney can be found on our Discord server, which is linked in the show notes, and on Twitter @ sydney_whitt. She’s also a contributing editor and occasional guest player for the Orpheus Protocol, a cosmic horror espionage actual play podcast.
Cameron Robertson as Emma. Cameron can be found on Twitter @ midnightmusic13 and on Instagram @ reading_and_dreaming. Cameron is also a player on Tabletop Squadron, a Star Wars Edge of the Empire actual play podcast.
And Nick Robertson as narrator. Nick can be found on Twitter @ alias58. Nick is also the GM for Tabletop Squadron. Nick can also be found as a player on the Orpheus Protocol.
This podcast features the musical talents of Dora Violet and Arne Parrott. You can find Dora at facebook.com/doraviolett. You can find Arne at atptunes.com.
The official artwork for this podcast was created by Rashed AlAkroka, who can be found on Instagram and Artstation @ rashedjrs.
You can follow the Patina on Twitter @ akosap_podcast or visit the website: www.akosap.com. To further support the show, consider joining the Patreon at www.patreon.com/AKoSaP, where we’ll be bringing you weekly content including bonus episodes, campfire conversations, and other fun rewards.
Until you tune back…
…stay bold and stay kind